subdued

[suhb-dood, -dyood]

adjective

1. quiet; inhibited; repressed; controlled.

   After the argument he was much more subdued.

2. lowered in intensity or strength; reduced in fullness of tone, as a color or voice; muted.

   subdued light; wallpaper in subdued greens.

3. (of land) not marked by any striking features, as mountains or cliffs.

   a subdued landscape.

subdued

/ səbˈdjuːd /

adjective

1. cowed, passive, or shy

2. gentle or quiet

   a subdued whisper

3. (of colours, etc) not harsh or bright

   subdued lighting

Other Word Forms

• subduedness noun
• subduedly adverb
• half-subdued adjective
• self-subdued adjective
• unsubdued adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of subdued¹

First recorded in 1595–1605; subdue + -ed ²

Example Sentences

One of the 1939 film’s production designers, Jack Martin Smith, said that his instructions were to make Oz “ethereal” and “subdued.”

From Los Angeles Times

Gauff, 21, came into her home Grand Slam clouded by uncertainty in her game and it showed in a subdued performance.

From BBC

Officers eventually subdued him with a stun gun, according to a Long Beach police department spokeswoman.

From Los Angeles Times

When she won only two of the opening 13 points, it felt like an ominous sign of things to come and led to a subdued atmosphere on Arthur Ashe Stadium.

From BBC

Last month, Keurig Dr Pepper executives told investors they expected growth in its coffee business to remain "subdued" this year, in part citing the hit from tariffs in the US, its most important market.

From BBC

Related Words

• hushed 
• low-key 
• mellow 
• muted 
• restrained 
• sober 
• solemn 
• unobtrusive